Quebec Order of Chemists warning against free residential water tests

The Quebec Order of Chemists is warning about fraudsters offering free water analyses in order to sell equipment. (Tara Walton, The Canadian Press)

Having received calls from disgruntled citizens, the Quebec Order of Chemists is warning against vendors offering free water analyses in residential areas.

"Salespeople sometimes go door-to-door claiming that tests at neighbours' homes have shown poor water quality. There are also advertisements circulating on social media to sell expensive purification systems that are not necessary," the order said in a news release on Monday.

The salespeople's ploy is to turn up at a home and almost invariably discover that the water quality is poor. According to order president Michel Alsayegh, the results are deliberately falsified in order to make people worry about their health, so that they will give in to the pressure selling.

"Anyone who comes along and says, 'Oh, you've got this in your water, you need to have it analyzed'," said Alsayegh in an interview, "it's easy to mislead someone because they're easily frightened, it's normal, it's something they don't know anything about."

He said that the order recently received calls from people who had the same water problem after buying a system using this kind of scheme.

"We've seen that there's unfortunately a big loophole where certain people will go to people's homes, and in the end, we realize that their aim is to sell a water system, regardless," said Alsayegh.

For those arguing that some free analyses are perhaps reliable, Alsayegh suggests that people ask for the analysis report signed by the chemist and check whether that chemist is a member of the Quebec Order of Chemists.

If people are concerned about the presence of lead or bacteria, or about the smell or colour of their water, they can contact a certified laboratory themselves, which will help them with the process.

"The Environment Ministry has a list of accredited laboratories on its website. Citizens can contact any laboratory, usually the one closest to their home, and they will be given the material for the water samples to be collected and sent to the laboratory. A chemist will then carry out the necessary analyses and issue a laboratory report, which he will sign. These will be reliable results, and they will also be able to help interpret the results and recommend solutions for your water", said Alsayegh. "There will certainly be a cost to this, but it will be much less than falling into the trap of free analyses and people selling systems that are as effective as a Brita filter at the bottom."

Amending the law

In its news release, the order points out that the Professional Chemists Act should be modernized.

Alsayegh pointed out that the Act dates back to 1926, even before fax technology, and that "some people are practising chemistry in an unfortunate way, which puts the protection of the public at risk."

Even in the case of illegal practice, the Quebec Order of Chemists has no leverage to punish offenders. Alsayegh explained that even if he spots someone carrying out falsified water analyses, the law is not clear enough to prevent that person from continuing his or her malicious practice.

He also gives the example of certain hand disinfectants that were sold at the height of the pandemic without having the minimum alcohol content to be effective.

"Unfortunately, the law governing chemists is too outdated to do anything about these people, and that's what we find ridiculous," said Alsayegh.

No pharmacist can sell a drug without first being a member of the Quebec Order of Pharmacists, and the same principle should apply to the field of chemistry, according to Alsayegh.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 5, 2024.

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